A major two-year scheme, designed to transform the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, has been awarded a £2m funding boost by the Monument Trust.

National Galleries Scotland (NGS) is leading the £17.6m Portrait of the Nation project, which will provide new education facilities - including a multi-purpose teaching suite and a resource and learning centre.

The scheme, which is being undertaken by BAM Construction, will also feature new media interpretation facilities throughout the gallery and a visitor hub, incorporating a shop, café and an information point.

It is hoped that the Portrait of the Nation project will enable the Scottish National Portrait Gallery to increase visitor numbers by 50 per cent, as well as doubling the attraction's gallery space.

The Scottish Government has contributed £5.1m towards the revamp of the gallery, which is scheduled to reopen in autumn 2011, while £4.8m has been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

In addition to the £2m cash injection from the Monument Trust, it means that NGS has now raised 80 per cent of the total cost of the scheme.

NGS director general John Leighton said: "Portrait of the Nation will be a very significant development for the National Galleries of Scotland. Following this refurbishment we will at last be able to make effective use of one of the most outstanding buildings in Edinburgh.

"More importantly, the project will enable the wonderful collections to be presented in a coherent and understandable way, appealing to a wide range of new national and international audiences."

James Holloway, director of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, added: "The Monument Trust's generous contribution puts us within reach of our £17.6m target, and brings us much closer to realising the ambitious plans we have for the gallery."